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The Olympics: Associating a Memory with a Tangible Product

There’s something great about years ending in an even number. No, it’s not because I have some form of OCD; it’s because those years are Olympic years! Though it’s still a month away, I have to say, I’m pretty excited about the London Olympics.

This is me as a mascot. It kind of looks like me, if I was blue and had one eye. Oh and if I played tennis. The tennis part might be more of a stretch than anything, really.

Don’t be too impressed; I just went to this website to make my own version of Wenlock and Mandeville. I think I’ll call mine Leelock.

While the Olympics are first and foremost an international celebration of sport and country, there’s also an aspect of commercialism involved, as evidenced by the influx of promotional products that become available for each Olympic Games.

Commercialism sometimes has a negative connotation to it and I don’t think it needs to be that way. If you go to the official Olympic site, you can buy all sorts of memorabilia. From apparel to keychains to bags, it’s all there and more! While the increasing capitalization of the games has brought on some controversy, it’s also brought on something more positive as well: the ability to remember each and every games and to associate a tangible product with the memory of sportsmanship.

So, next time you see that old Izzy doll (the 1996 mascot), perhaps it’ll remind you of the emotional moment when Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic torch. Next time you see your 2004 Athens keychain, you’ll be reminded of Michael Phelps in the pool, winning medal after medal for the United States.

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